Preview - Manchester City

WEST HAM UNITED v MANCHESTER CITY
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
BOLEYN GROUND
SATURDAY 25 OCTOBER 2014
KICK-OFF: 12.45PM
REFEREE: MARTIN ATKINSON

In brief

West Ham United welcome Manchester City to the Boleyn Ground on Saturday, with both teams in the top four of the Barclays Premier League.

The Citizens currently sit second, having taken 17 points from their first eight games. They are unbeaten in their last five league games and defeated Tottenham Hotspur 4-1 last weekend.

Sam Allardyce's team are four points and two places behind, having tasted victory in their last two starts. Diafra Sakho, Enner Valencia and Carlton Cole were all on target as Saturday as the Hammers defeated Burnley 3-1.

The Hammers will be hoping to improve on last season's showings against the Citizens, when they lost all four meetings with Manuel Pellegrini's men.

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Who are they?

Manchester City were formed in 1880 as St Mark's (West Gordon), eventually taking on their current name in 1894.

They have played at the Etihad Stadium since 2003, having previously turned out at Maine Road from 1923. Their most successful period until recent times came in the late 1960s and early 1970s when they won the league, FA Cup, League Cup and European Cup Winners' Cup.

More recently, they have won the Barclays Premier League twice in the last three years, as well as the FA Cup and Capital One Cup.

Team news

West Ham United

Cheikhou Kouyate and James Tomkins return to the Hammers squad after both overcoming groin injuries to train this week.

Andy Carroll is also back in training but not yet ready to return to the first team.

Manchester City

Frank Lampard will miss out for Manchester City after suffering a thigh injury in last week's win at Tottenham.

Lampard's fellow midfielder Samir Nasri is also absent after undergoing groin surgery.

Referee

Saturday's match referee will be Martin Atkinson. A referee since the age of 16, Atkinson was promoted to the Football League list of assistant referees in 1998. In 2000, Atkinson was promoted to the Select Group of assistant referees, allowing him to run the line in Premier League matches.

He joined the National List of referees for the Football League at the start of the 2003/04 season before taking charge of his first Premier League fixture on 20 April 2005 when Manchester City entertained Birmingham City. He was the man in the middle at the 2006 FA Community Shield between Chelsea and Liverpool at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. He also took charge of the 2008 FA Trophy final between Ebbsfleet United and Torquay United at Wembley Stadium.

Atkinson also refereed the Hammers on the final day of last season, when Manchester City clinched the Barclays Premier League title with a 2-0 win at Etihad Stadium, and in the 2-2 draw at Hull City on 15 September.

One to watch

West Ham United

Diafra Sakho's goalscoring form has really caught the eye since his summer move from French side FC Metz.

Last Saturday's goal at Burnley was his sixth in as many starts for the Club, and meant he has scored in his last five consecutive Premier League games.

He becomes only the second player to achieve that feat for West Ham in the Premier League era, alongside Carlton Cole.

Manchester City

Argentina striker Sergio Aguero is in irrepressible form at the moment, having scored in his last five appearances.

He bagged four against Tottenham last week, and could even had added a fifth had he not missed a first half penalty.

The 26-year-old now has 61 league goals for the Citizens in just 95 appearances, with his goals helping the club win Premier League titles in 2012 and 2014.

Tickets

Standard tickets for this game have now sold out. However, tickets may become available online as Season Ticket Holders relist their tickets.

TV coverage

Click here for a list of broadcasters for Saturday's game.

Travel

The District Line will be suspended between South Kensington and Aldgate East, but services will be running on the eastern branch of the line to serve Upton Park.

Click here for up to the minute news from TfL and here for National Rail.

Weather

A sunny day is predicted for Saturday, with temperature at kick-off of 14C (57F)

Simply the Breast

West Ham United Season Ticket Holder Clare Mitchell is raising funds for the Breast Cancer Campaign by recording a single - Simply the Breast.

You can download the single on iTunes or Amazon.

Last meeting

Manchester City 2-0 West Ham United
Barclays Premier League
11 May 2014

Manchester City secured the league title with a 2-0 win over the Hammers on the final day of last season.

A goal in each half did the trick, with Vincent Kompany's close-range finish supplementing Samir Nasri's earlier strike.

Manchester City: Hart, Kompany, Zabaleta, Kolarov, Demichelis, Nasri, Garcia, Silva (Milner 76) Y.Toure (Negredo 86), Dzeko (Fernandinho 69), Aguero
Subs: Pantilimon, Lescott, Clichy, Jovetic

Goals: Nasri 39, Kompany 49

West Ham United: Adrian, Reid, McCartney, Tomkins, O'Brien, Nolan (Jarvis 64), Taylor, Noble, Diame (J.Cole 81), Downing, Carroll (C.Cole 72)
Subs: Jaaskelainen, Armero, Collins, Vaz Te